the pathfinder-第64部分

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he　was　far　from　being　blind　to　his　sophistry。　　The　result
was　that　the　two　parted；　after　a　long　dialogue；　unconvinced；
and　distrustful　of　each　other's　motives；　though　the　distrust
of　the　guide；　like　all　that　was　connected　with　the　man；
partook　of　his　own　upright；　disinterested；　and　ingenuous
nature。

A　conference　that　took　place　soon　after　between　Sergeant
Dunham　and　the　Lieutenant　led　to　more　consequences。
When　it　was　ended；　secret　orders　were　issued　to　the　men；
the　blockhouse　was　taken　possession　of；　the　huts　were　oc…
cupied；　and　one　accustomed　to　the　movements　of　soldiers
might　have　detected　that　an　expedition　was　in　the　wind。
In　fact；　just　as　the　sun　was　setting；　the　Sergeant；　who　had
been　much　occupied　at　what　was　called　the　harbor；　came
into　his　own　hut；　followed　by　Pathfinder　and　Cap；　and　as
he　took　his　seat　at　the　neat　table　which　Mabel　had　pre…
pared　for　him；　he　opened　the　budget　of　his　intelligence。

〃You　are　likely　to　be　of　some　use　here；　my　child；〃　the
old　soldier　commenced；　〃as　this　tidy　and　well…ordered
supper　can　testify；　and　I　trust；　when　the　proper　moment
arrives；　you　will　show　yourself　to　be　the　descendant　of
those　who　know　how　to　face　their　enemies。〃

〃You　do　not　expect　me；　dear　father；　to　play　Joan　of　Arc；
and　to　lead　the　men　to　battle？〃

〃Play　whom；　child？　　Did　you　ever　hear　of　the　person
Mabel　mentions；　Pathfinder？〃

〃Not　I；　Sergeant；　but　what　of　that？　　I　am　ignorant
and　unedicated；　and　it　is　too　great　a　pleasure　to　me　to
listen　to　her　voice；　and　take　in　her　words；　to　be　particular
about　persons。〃

〃I　know　her；〃　said　Cap　decidedly；　〃she　sailed　a　priva…
teer　out　of　Morlaix　in　the　last　war；　and　good　cruises　she
made　of　them。〃

Mabel　blushed　at　having　inadvertently　made　an　allusion
that　went　beyond　her　father's　reading；　to　say　nothing　of
her　uncle's　dogmatism；　and；　perhaps；　a　little　at　the　Path…
finder's　simple；　ingenuous　earnestness；　but　she　did　not
forbear　the　less　to　smile。

〃Why；　father；　I　am　not　expected　to　fall　in　with　the
men；　and　to　help　defend　the　island？〃

〃And　yet　women　have　often　done　such　things　in　this
quarter　of　the　world；　girl；　as　our　friend；　the　Pathfinder
here；　will　tell　you。　　But　lest　you　should　be　surprised　at
not　seeing　us　when　you　awake　in　the　morning；　it　is　proper
that　I　now　tell　you　we　intend　to　march　in　the　course　of
this　very　night。〃

〃_We_；　father！　and　leave　me　and　Jennie　on　this　island
alone？〃

〃No；　my　daughter；　not　qnite　as　unmilitary　as　that。　We
shall　leave　Lieutenant　Muir；　brother　Cap；　Corporal　M'Nab；
and　three　men　to　compose　the　garrison　during　our　ab…
sence。　　Jennie　will　remain　with　you　in　this　hut；　and
brother　Cap　will　occupy　my　place。〃

〃And　Mr。　Muir？〃　said　Mabel；　half　unconscious　of　what
she　uttered；　though　she　foresaw　a　great　deal　of　unpleasant
persecution　in　the　arrangement。

〃Why；　he　can　make　love　to　you；　if　you　like　it；　girl；　for
he　is　an　amorous　youth；　and；　having　already　disposed　of
four　wives；　is　impatient　to　show　how　much　he　honors　their
memories　by　taking　a　fifth。〃

〃The　Quartermaster　tells　me；〃　said　Pathfinder　inno…
cently；　〃that　when　a　man's　feelings　have　been　harassed　by
so　many　losses；　there　is　no　wiser　way　to　soothe　them　than
by　ploughing　up　the　soil　anew；　in　such　a　manner　as　to
leave　no　traces　of　what　have　gone　over　it　before。〃

〃Ay；　that　is　just　the　difference　between　ploughing　and
harrowing；〃　returned　the　Sergeant；　with　a　grim　smile。
〃But　let　him　tell　Mabel　his　mind；　and　there　will　be　an　end
of　his　suit。　　I　very　well　know　that　_my_　daughter　will　never
be　the　wife　of　Lieutenant　Muir。〃

This　was　said　in　a　way　that　was　tanatmount　to　declaring
that　no　daughter　of　his　ever　_should_　become　the　wife　of　the
person　in　question。　　Mabel　had　colored；　trembled；　half
laughed；　and　looked　uneasy；　but；　rallying　her　spirit；　she
said；　in　a　voice　so　cheerful　as　completely　to　conceal　her
agitation；　〃But；　father；　we　might　better　wait　until　Mr。
Muir　manifests　a　wish　that　your　daughter　would　have　him；
or　rather　a　wish　to　have　your　daughter；　lest　we　get　the
fable　of　sour　grapes　thrown　into　our　faces。〃

〃And　what　is　that　fable；　Mabel？〃　eagerly　demanded
Pathfinder；　who　was　anything　but　learned　in　the　ordinary
lore　of　white　men。　　〃Tell　it　to　us；　in　your　own　pretty
way；　I　daresay　the　Sergeant　never　heard　it。〃

Mabel　repeated　the　well…known　fable；　and；　as　her　suitor
had　desired；　in　her　own　pretty　way；　which　was　a　way　to
keep　his　eyes　riveted　on　her　face；　and　the　whole　of　his
honest　countenance　covered　with　a　smile。

〃That　was　like　a　fox！〃　cried　Pathfinder；　when　she　had
ceased；　〃ay；　and　like　a　Mingo；　too；　cunning　and　cruel；
that　is　the　way　with　both　the　riptyles。　　As　to　grapes；　they
are　sour　enough　in　this　part　of　the　country；　even　to　them
that　can　get　at　them；　though　I　daresay　there　are　seasons
and　times　and　places　where　they　are　sourer　to　them　that
can't。　　I　should　judge；　now；　my　scalp　is　very　sour　in　Mingo
eyes。〃

〃The　sour　grapes　will　be　the　other　way；　child；　and　it　is
Mr。　Muir　who　will　make　the　complaint。　　You　would　never
marry　that　man；　Mabel？〃

〃Not　she；〃　put　in　Cap；　〃a　fellow　who　is　only　half　a
soldier　after　all。　　The　story　of　them　there　grapes　is　quite
a　circumstance。〃

〃I　think　little　of　marrying　any　one；　dear　father　and
dear　uncle；　and　would　rather　talk　about　it　less；　if　you
please。　　But；　did　I　think　of　marrying　at　all；　I　do　be…
lieve　a　man　whose　affections　have　already　been　tried　by
three　or　four　wives　would　scarcely　be　my　choice。〃

The　Sergeant　nodded　at　the　guide；　as　much　as　to　say；
You　see　how　the　land　lies；　and　then　he　had　sufficient　con…
sideration　for　his　daughter's　feelings　to　change　the　sub…
ject。

〃Neither　you　nor　Mabel；　brother　Cap；〃　he　resumed；
〃can　have　any　legal　authority　with　the　little　garrison　I
leave　behind　on　the　island；　but　you　may　counsel　and　in…
fluence。　　Strictly　speaking；　Corporal　M'Nab　will　be　the
commanding　officer；　and　I　have　endeavored　to　impress　him
with　a　sense　of　his　dignity；　lest　he　might　give　way　too
much　to　the　superior　rank　of　Lieutenant　Muir；　who；　being
a　volunteer；　can　have　no　right　to　interfere　with　the　duty。
I　wish　you　to　sustain　the　Corporal；　brother　Cap；　for
should　the　Quartermaster　once　break　through　the　regula…
tions　of　the　expedition；　he　may　pretend　to　command　me；
as　well　as　M'Nab。〃

〃More　particularly；　should　Mabel　really　cut　him　adrift
while　you　are　absent。　　Of　course；　Sergeant；　you'll　leave
everything　that　is　afloat　under　my　care？　　The　most　dble
confusion　has　grown　out　of　misunderstandings　between
commanders…in…chief；　ashore　and　afloat。〃

〃In　one　sense；　brother；　though　in　a　general　way；　the
Corporal　is　commander…in…chief。　　The　Corporal　must　com…
mand；　but　you　can　counsel　freely；　particularly　in　all　mat…
ters　relating　to　the　boats；　of　which　I　shall　leave　one　behind
to　secure　your　retreat；　should　there　be　occasion。　　I　know
the　Corporal　well；　he　is　a　brave　man　and　a　good　soldier；
and　one　that　may　be　relied　on；　if　the　Santa　Cruz　can　be
kept　from　him。　　But　then　he　is　a　Scotchman；　and　will　be
liable　to　the　Quartermaster's　influence；　against　which　I　de…
sire　both　you　and　Mabel　to　be　on　your　guard。〃

〃But　why　leave　us　behind；　dear　father？　　I　have　come
thus　far　to　be　a　comfort　to　you；　and　why　not　go　farther？〃

〃You　are　a　good　girl；　Mabel；　and　very　like　the　Dunhams。
But　you　must　halt　here。　　We　shall　leave　the　island　to…
morrow；　before　the　day　dawns；　in　order　not　to　be　seen　by
any　prying　eyes　coming　from　our　cover；　and　we　shall　take
the　two　largest　boats；　leaving　you　the　other　and　one　bark
canoe。　　We　are　about　to　go　into　the　channel　used　by　the
French；　where　we　shall　lie　in　wait；　perhaps　a　week；　to　in…
tercept　their　supply…boats；　which　are　about　to　pass　up　on
their　way　to　Frontenac；　loaded；　in　particular；　with　a　heavy
amount　of　Indian　goods。〃

〃Have　you　looked　well　to　your　papers；　brother？〃　Cap
anxiously　demanded。　　〃Of　course　you　know　a　capture　on
the　high　seas　is　piracy；　unless　your　boat　is　regularly　com…
missioned；　either　as　a　public　or　a　private　armed　cruiser。〃

〃I　have　the　honor　to　hold　the　Colonel's　appointment　as
sergeant…major　of　the　55th；〃　returned　the　other；　drawing
himself　up　with　dignity；　〃and　that　will　be　sufficient　even
for　the　French　king。　　If　not；　I　have　Major　Duncan's　writ…
ten　orders。〃

〃No　papers；　then；　for　a　warlike　cruiser？〃

〃They　must　suffice；　brother；　as　I　have　no　other。　　It　is
of　vast　importance　to　his　Majesty's　interests；　in　this　part
of　the　world；　that　the　boats　in　question　should　be　captured
and　carried　into　Oswego。　　They　contain　the　blankets；　trink…
ets；　rifles；　ammunition；　in　short；　all　the　stores　with　which　the
French　bribe　their　accursed　savage　allies　to　commit　their
unholy　acts；　setting　at　nought　our　holy　religion　and　its
precepts；　the　laws　of　humanity；　and　all　that　is　sacred　and
dear　among　men。　　By　cutting　off　these　supplies　we　shall
derange　their　plans；　and　gain　time　on　them；　for　the　arti…
cles　cannot　be　sent　across　the　ocean　again　this　autumn。〃

〃But；　father；　does　not　his　Majesty　employ　Indians　also？〃
asked　Mabel；　with　some　curiosity。

〃Certainly；　girl；　and　he　has　a　right　to　employ　them　
God　bless　him！　　It's　a　very　different　thing　whether　an　Eng…
lish　man　or　a　Frenchman　employs　a　savage；　as　everybody
can　understand。〃

〃But；　father；　I　cannot　see　that　this　alters　the　case。　　If
it　be　wrong　in　a　Frenchman　to　hire　savages　to　fight　his
enemies；　it　would　seem　to　be　equally　wrong　in　an　Eng…
lishman。　　_You_　will　admit　this；　Pathfinder？〃

〃It's　reasonable；　it's　reasonable；　and　I　have　never　been
one　of　them　that　has　raised　a　cry　ag'in　the　Frenchers　for
doing　the　very　thing　we　do　ourselves。　　Still　it　is　worse　to
consort　with　a　Mingo　than　to　consort　with　a　Delaware。
If　any　of　that　just　tribe　were　left；　I　should　think　it　no　sin
to　send　them　out　ag'in　the　foe。〃

〃And　yet　they　scalp　and　slay　young　and　old；　women　and
children！〃

〃They　have　their　gifts；　Mabel；　and　are　not　to　be　blamed
for　following　them；　natur'　is　natur'；　though　the　different
tribes　have　different　ways　of　showing　it。　　For　my　part　I
am　white；　and　endeavor　to　maintain　white　feelings。〃

〃This　is　all　unintelligible　to　me；〃　answered　Mabel。
〃What　is　right　in　King　George；　it　would　seem；　ought　to
be　right　in　King　Louis。〃

As　all　parties；　Mabel　except